Detector for wireless telegraphy.



R. G. BBOWNE.

DETECTOR FOR WIRELESS TELEGRAPHY.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 15, 1907v 1,102,184, Patented June 30, 1914.

UNITED STATES PATENT 0 E 10E;

BALBEIQUBRQWNE, OF'SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS; ASSIGrNOR,,BYIll/[155N3 1; 9LSSJIGqNMENILS 1?,0 .AJEEARATUS COMPANY, 033' GB MASSACHUSETTS.

A HfIISE I-ESL QQRPQRATIQN DETECTOR. FOR WIRELESS. TELEGRAPEE;

Specification: Lettemment...

Application filed August 15, I901. Serial-Kore 388,522,

This invention is particularly related to that part of a wireless telegraphsystem known as the detector, and has for its purpose to increase the general etfic ency of such devices, both as regards sensitiveness and ease of adjustment.

I have found that, to insure the 1:

sults in detectors of the type *1, hi h hi invention; r l 'ffalsf of comparah 'llal electromotive force sh be slfiployed in adjustable contact 1 h each other; that the point of contact should be small in order to increase its resistance over. the rest of the circuit, so as to centralize the greatest portion of the energy at that point in the form of heat; and

that the remainder of the circuit should have as low a resistance as possible. I have found that this result may be secured by utilizing, as one of the conducting materials, crystallized oxid ofrzinc (sa-id oxid of zinc containing preferably traces of iron or other metallic salts in order to lower its resistance and increase its vthermal electrical properties). This crystallized zinc .oxid should preferably be in a wedge-shaped form, so

that a thin knife edge of the material may be brought into contact with a similar shaped piece of the same material, or preferably some material differing either in re- .gard to its resistance, composition, crystallization or other properties. I have found that excellent results may be obtained by using the natural mineral product-known as zinkite (red oxidof zinc) as the active element, and copper pyrites or chalcopyrite as the opposite element. Both of said elements are preferably mounted in suitable conducting metallic holders, with the thin portions in contact with each other, and their bases or thicker portions in good electrical contact with their holders.

The drawing illustrates diagrammatically the receiving end of a wireless telegraph system and shows the general arrangement of the detector as I prefer to build it.

A and B indicate two suitable metal posts affixed to the insulating base 0, which a1 0 carries the binding posts D D to rec the circuit terminals. Through the p t A and B project the holders E and Which may be adjusted toward and rrom each other and held after adjustm t b set screws. One of them i Io'tatably adinstable, be g rotatdmy .--Du in Sleeve S and having a m n d h d o of the h ch as that at F, is under the tena spring G, which is for convcn ance located in the sleeve S, whereby a L shght'spring pressure is maintained 'by one of the terminals against the other.

consisting of a crystal of zinkite, made by chipping off a fragment of the ore. This is held by its thickest portion in the holder E and presents a thin edge to the opposing terninal I, which may consist of a fragment or piece of copper pyritcs secured in the holder Just what action the copper ,pyrites plays in the operation of the instrument, it is hard to state, as many other materials will work well with the oxid of zinc, such as zinc blend, iron, bismuth, antimoney, zinc, brass, copper, lead, etc.

The copper pyrites however, I prefer to use as it is readily chipped into suitable thin sections having sharp edges, and the thin edges have a high resistance. I am inclined to think that the ore is, to a certain extent, broken up under the action of the heating of the point of contact, and that a chemical action takes place with the opposing element, (though I have not been able to clearly demonstrate the latter) thus giving rise to additional energy in the receiver circuit.

Having thus briefly described my invenof limitation, what- I claim is e 1. A device for detecting the presence of electrical currents, comprising a. terminal consisting of an ore containing oxid of zinc, and an opposing terminal consisting of an ore containing copper.

2. A device for detecting the presence of electrical currents, comprising terminals consisting of zinkite and copper pyrites respectively.

3. An oscillation receiver, which comprises a fragment of chalcopyrite in electrical contact with a substantially rough, un-

liaiteirteditl'une 30, 1914:.

tion for the purpose of explanation and not' H represents a wedge-shaped terminal ,polis'he dnfrzicture surlfaoef of the electrically In testimony .whreof I have aflixed my conducting solid, the mlge ral red end of signature, in presence of two witnesses.

zinc substantially as descrlbe'd;

4. An oscillation recciver, which comprises J RALPH BROWNE' 5 the substances zinkite; 51nd chalcopyrite in Witnesses:

electricalcdntdict with-95.011 Other substan- M. B. IVIAY, tially as described. A. H. BROWN. 

